Brian Bowles Interview

Can Brian Bowles Remain the Champ?

Brian Bowles will step into the octagon to put his eight-fight win streak on the line and defend his bantamweight title for the first time. Bowles has been on a tear since entering the WEC, including a title win over MMA superstar Miguel Torres, and he is determined to make his first title defense a success. His opponent, Dominick Cruz, is coming off his fifth straight win and is dead set on giving Bowles his first defeat.

At WEC 47 on March 6, 2010, Brian Bowles will attempt to continue his dominance in the bantamweight division as he faces off against Dominick Cruz.

brian bowles on mma and fighting

What made you want to get into the sport of fighting? I was always on the wrestling team during school and enjoyed watching MMA, but it’s not something I planned to do. I just started doing it for fun as a hobby. Then I started taking on amateur fights, which lead to fighting professionally, which then led me to fighting for the WEC. It was just something that escalated into what it is now.

What, in your eyes, is more nerve-racking, fighting the champion or defending the belt as the champion for the first time? I think it’s about the same level of nerves. When fighting Miguel Torres he had a big record and he’s a huge name in MMA but, then again, now that I have the belt I want to hang on to it. More nerve-racking than either one of those, in my opinion, would have to be my first amateur fight, or my first pro fight. Those were more nerve-racking, but I’m kind of used to it now.

Your opponent, Dominick Cruz, is no stranger to fighting and has some pretty extensive ring experience with 8 of his 14 wins coming by decision. What kind of a game plan do you prepare for someone this durable? He’s a similar fighter to me, boxer/wrestler, but I’m just going to come out and do what I normally do. I think that he’s a tricky fighter, so I just have to stay patient and just get my hands on him and go out there and do what I do.

In what areas do you think you have advantages over Dominick Cruz? I think I’m a more powerful striker, so when I hit him I’ll hurt him. I think I’m going to be better on the ground than he is, but our wrestling is about even.